G-G debate still dominates Federal politics

The World Today - Monday, 12 May , 2003 12:10:24

Reporter: Matt Brown

ELEANOR HALL: But first today to the unprecedented state of affairs in Australia's Vice-Regal office. He's now stood aside, but the rape allegations that have been vehemently denied by Dr Peter Hollingworth are still overshadowing the business of politics in Canberra.

The Prime Minister has been trying to explain why the Governor-General has stood aside now, when he told he told Mr Howard of the rape allegations against him back in December.

And while the Treasurer, Peter Costello, says the Governor-General must have his day in court to clear his name, the Victorian Supreme Court is yet to decide if the case can even be heard.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader, Simon Crean, is turning his attention to the question of a royal commission into child sex abuse.

Matt Brown reports from Canberra.

MATT BROWN: Five months ago, when the Governor-General first told the Prime Minister about the rape allegations against him, Mr Howard started thinking about what to do about Peter Hollingworth's position.

JOHN HOWARD: A letter was written by a lawyer; it was shown to me by the Governor-General. He said this is absurd. He then subsequently gave me his full story. I took some advice, I don't think it's appropriate to go into that at this stage, and then we watched the matter proceed.

MATT BROWN: As it proceeded, the Prime Minister and the Governor-General discussed the pros and cons of taking out a suppression order to keep Peter Hollingworth's identity a secret, while the court decided if the case could be heard so long after the alleged rape took place.

And that's got the Opposition Leader, Simon Crean, asking some difficult questions for the Prime Minister.

SIMON CREAN: How can, and how could, the head of state and the head of government come to a conclusion that an allegation of rape against the Governor-General could have been kept secret?

MATT BROWN: Mr Howard this morning told Sydney radio 2GB that things have changed since December.

JOHN HOWARD: Back in December, when I was told about it, it was a bare allegation. On the face of it, it seemed extraordinary. An allegation of that kind, emphatically and totally denied, it, in December, was merely an allegation contained in a letter from the solicitor. I in fact, at that time, gave consideration to how the matter might be handled if, ultimately, it turned into a full-blown court case.

MATT BROWN: The trouble is it's still not a full-blown court case, only the veil of secrecy has been lifted.

Still, the Governor-General has stood aside, and now the Treasurer, Peter Costello, says he must have his day in court.

JOURNALIST: Do you think the Prime Minister should have acted when he first learnt of the rape allegations in December, in relation to the Governor-General?

PETER COSTELLO: Well, allegations could be made against anybody and the fact that an allegation is made doesn't mean it is true and in a court of law, where people are able to be examined and cross-examined, you have the opportunity to either establish your allegation, or for the accused person to defend themselves and I think that is the proper place for this to go.

MATT BROWN: But for Dr Hollingworth to get that chance, the court would first have to decide that these claims can even be heard, given that the alleged events occurred nearly four decades ago. And Peter Hollingworth's lawyers will likely now argue that they should be heard, to give him the chance the Treasurer just talked about.

The Prime Minister might have been in the know since December last year, but the Treasurer was not in the loop.

PETER COSTELLO: When the press published them, I became aware of the allegations. I said earlier I was aware that there was civil litigation that could be taken against the Governor-General. I did not know, because, nor should I have known, because it was a subject of a suppression order up until the courts released it.

MATT BROWN: The Governor-General has also started to mount a case against the report to the Anglican Church in Brisbane, which set off the original controversy about his treatment of a paedophile priest. And he's planning to release a QC's opinion, which states that he's been denied natural justice in that process.

Meanwhile, the idea of a royal commission into child sex abuse is being discussed amongst the Labor Caucus, and the leader, Simon Crean, says it has merit.

SIMON CREAN: That's something I think needs to be given serious consideration arising from this because it goes beyond the question of the Governor-General going. It's how we deal with this problem in the future.